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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E; E. HERRINTON.

FOLDING BED.

No. 425,378. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.'

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. E. HERRINTON. FOLDING BED.

No. 425,378. PatentedApt. 8, 1890 11:17.: 1:3 .11: l III i. 1/6 eon/a 16?:-

Edward E Hcrn'mon TN: mm: cums en, mo'ro-umm, wasnmzraw, n. c.

UNITED. STATES PATENT Unmet EDXVARD E. HERRINTON, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO ISRAEL C. SMITH.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,378, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed April 27, 1889. fierial No. 308,841. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concerm Be itknown that I, EDWARD E. HEREIN- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to folding beds; and it has for its object the construction of an article of furniture of that character which by reason of its many advantages will readily recommend itself to the mass of people requiring or using such beds.

The invention consists in certain peculiarities in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

Figure l is a side elevation of the bed closed, 1

with part of the arm broken away to show the springs and their method of application, the positions of some of the parts being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation showing the arm and part of the movable base in vertical section on the line a a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bed open, the position of some parts being also indicated in dotted line. Fig. 4: is a perspective detail showing the detachable or knockdown construction; Fig. 5, a detail showing the two parts of the pivotal connection; Fig. 6, a detail showing manner of attaching mirror; Figs. 7 and 8, a detail of head-board pivot and slide; Fig. 9, a detail showing lower end of arm 0 and its connections. Fig. 10 is a central vertical sect-ion with the bed-frame or folding section at an angle of about fortyfive degrees.

Similar letters of reference and numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures.

A represents the stationary casing or section, which is supported a short distance from the floor by casters 16, for a purpose hereinafter mentioned.

13 indicates the folding section or bed proper, which is pivoted to A by pivots 1)",

arranged in the upper part of B and forward part of A.

O is the arm which connects the movable base R to the side rails 13, being pivoted at D and D, respectively, and contains a chamher in which are arranged the springs F F, having the yokes E and E. To the yoke E is attached the cord or cable G, the upper end of which is attached to the hollow drum 3, Fig. 5, the flange 2 of which is secured to rail B. Drum 3 has opening l, having nick 5, adapted to journal 6, having lug 7, secured to the face of flange 2, which is secured to the inside of arm G. This construction of the pivot is to enable the arm to be detached from the side rail. The yoke E has the stem 1, which passes through the plate H, secured to the end of the chamber in O, and has the adjusting-nut e for adjusting the tension of the springs.

circular in form.

It will be noted that the arm 0- has a corresponding arm upon the opposite side of the bed, provided with corresponding mechanism, and when arm 0 is mentioned the pair of arms 0 will be understood. Upon the inside of the lower end of each arm is secured an angle-plate 19, to which is attached the bar J, connecting the lower ends of the arms. This bar when the bed is folded rests underneath the end of the bed, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1. When the movable base is drawn outward, as hereinafter described, the bar J, traversing the arc of a circle the center of which is the center of the pivot D,rises to the position shown in Fig. 3 in dotted line, presenting its upper edge to the under side of the bed-rails B, which rest upon said rail J, the rail J thus forming the permanent support for the bed when open, and the distances are so adj usted that the heads of the screws numbered 17 in the bracket on the edge of the rails of the section B rest upon the top of J, which is furnished at the point of contact with asinall metallic plate to protect it, the screws 17 thus performing the office of supports for the bed when open.

R represents a movable base, consisting of a rectangular frame open at the back, with two sides and a front piece, and provided The lower end of the arm 0 is piv oted at D to the movable base R, and is semi-' with rollers K, whereby it is movable upon the floor, and has the ends of the arms C pivoted to said sides by pins D, whereby the lower ends of said arms 0 are made to traverse the floor, and are connected together, and the base R is provided with rollers K, and is so adjusted, as hereinafter fully stated, that when the bed is folded it will be lifted 'en-' tirelyfree from the floor. The entire weight of the bed is thus thrown upon the casters 16, upon which it may be moved about the room.

S represents a sliding head-board, which is hinged to the top rail, and is provided with a T-pivot having the stem 15 and head 14:- I The head is adapted to slide in a vertical groove 1 upon the insidesof case A, and the stem 15 fits a corresponding socket in the edge of S.

L is a mirror pivoted to the face of B, having a hook 10, engaging with a plate 11, to attach the lower frame detachably to the center panel of the front, and havin g also a plate 13, covering a socket in the upper section of the mirror-frame, adapted to hold a button 12, to which is attached a cord M, passing over pulley 9, and having the Weight N attached. In the face of the plate 13 isanotch in which is the cord M, and the mirror is removed from the bed by lifting the button out of its chamber. The weight will draw it till it closes the opening in the panel and shows only the head of the button from the front. The books 10 being disengaged from the plate 11, the mirror may be removed. Secured on the side rails of the folding section B, at or near the rear end thereof, is a clamp O, having a top bar P, for engaging the bedclothing and preventing it from tipping over when the bed is closed, and is actuated by the spring Q.

.T is a bar for holding the panels in place, and has glue-blocks '0 "u dovetailed thereto, and is provided with the button U. T T are cleats having screws w to.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the base molding Z of the stationary section is formed with a beveled top, which forms a shoulder, upon which a similar shoulder Z within the base R rests, as shown best in Fig. 2. This base R is thus suspended clear of the floor, and the entire structure rests on the casters 16, the purpose of which is hereinabove stated.

The operation of my improved folding bed is as follows: It will be observed that the folding section B is fulcrumed in two places to casing A at D" and to the arms 0 at D and while the weight of the folding part B falls substantially, if not wholly, upon the pivot D, the shoulder upon the base of A forms a support for R, as shown in Fig. 2, and the arms 0, being journaled to said folding section and traveling base, act as braces when the bed is folded, and lock it so that it is impossible for said base to be tipped forward without first drawing forward the base B. 'As soon as this is done, the foot of the bed begins to move forward upon the arc of a cirwound tightly around the drum 3 of the' pivot D, throwing a strain upon springs F,

the tension of which must be adjusted according to the weight of the bed. 1 i

It will be observed that the tendency of the spring-actuated pivot D is to cause the outer end of the arm G to press upon the pivot D, and thus resist the force of gravity as the bed is lowered, and that this resistance increases as the bed approaches the horizontal position, the effect being to equipoise the bed between these twoforees, so'that it will remain permanently at rest at any angle above the horizontal and below the perpendiculanand a very slight pressure wiltmove it' in either direction. As soon, however, as it falls to the horizontal position, bringing the most of the bulk below the plane of D, the'force of gravity is greatest, and is sufficient to hold the bed down firmly upon the bar J, as previously I explained. At the same time that the folding section is being lowered to the floor the hinged head-board S slides upward to, its position and closes the back of the stationary case, as shown-in Fig. 4, and clamp 0 being lifted the bed is in position for use. Clamp O and mirror L may be dispensedwitl1,ifdesired.

It will be observed that when open the bed really has eight legs or points of contact with the floor, four to each section, (four casters to A and four rollers to 13,) and that when closed it is self-locking by means of the devices already described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a folding bed, the stationary section thereof, a folding section pivoted thereto, arms j on rnaled to the side rails of said folding section between the forward pivotal point of the latter and the foot-board of the bed, the said arms being connected together at their lower ends and adapted to traverse the floor, in combination with retractin g-sprin gs arranged within said arms and secured at their lower ends, and cables extending from the upper or forward ends of said springs to the journals of the arms and adapted to wind around said journals.

2. Ina folding bed, the combination of a vertical case or stationary section, a folding to wind on said drums and serving to connect the upper or forward of said yokes thereto, stems secured to the other of said yokes and having their opposite ends secured to a plate, and nuts on said stem for adjusting the tension of the coiled springs.

33. In a folding bed, a stationary section and a folding section pivoted thereto, in combin ation with flanged hollow drums, secured to the side rails of said folding section between the forward pivotal point of said rails and the foot-board of the bed, the said drums having central perforations, and nicks or slots extending from said perforations, journals formed to correspond with the shape of the openings in said drums and adapted to be received thereby, the said journals having flanges by which they are secured to the arms 0, the said arms 0 connected together at their lower ends and adapted to travel the floor, coiled springs arranged within said arms and secured therein at their lower ends, and ropes or cables connecting the upper ends of said springs with said hollow drums, around which they are adapted to wind, all substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth. i

4. In a folding bed, the combination of a vertical case, a folding section pivoted thereto, arms journaled to the side rails of said folding section between the forward pivotal point of said folding section and the footboard of the bed, retracting-springs provided with means of adjusting the tension thereof, arranged within said arms at their bottom or rear ends, a cord connecting said springs and journals and adapted to wind on said journals, a rectangular frame provided with rollers and adapted to traverse the floor pivoted to the lower endof said arms, and a cross-bar arranged between the ends of said arms adapted to support the outer end of said folding section when the same is open, substantially as described.

5. In a folding bed, a stationary section, a folding section pivoted thereto at one end, and arms journaled to the side rails of said folding section at their forward ends, between the forward pivotal point of said folding section and the foot-board of the bed, and to a horizontally-movable base at their opposlte ends, in combination with said movable base, retracting-springs arranged within said arms and secured therein at their lower ends, yokes at the opposite ends of said springs,'cables extending from said yokes to the journals of said arms and adapted to wind thereon, and means for adjusting the tension of said springs.

In testimony whereof I do affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWVARD E. HERRINTON.

Witnesses:

DENNIS L. ROGERS, CLAUDE R. BUCHANAN. 

